Arm rest for a piece of seating furniture

ABSTRACT

An arm rest for a piece of seating furniture, in particular for an office chair, has an arm rest support and an arm support which is movable relative thereto, wherein an elastic return element is provided and the arm support is movable relative to the arm rest support against the restoring force of the return element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 of German ApplicationNo. 20 2017 104 486.6, filed on Jul. 27, 2017, the disclosure of whichis herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an arm rest for a piece of seating furniture,in particular for an office chair, comprising an arm rest support and anarm support which is movable relative thereto.

In order to be able to adjust the arm rest for a user of a piece ofseating furniture, in particular an office chair, it is already known toarrange an arm support so as to be movable about a vertical axis ofrotation relative to an arm rest support. In this case, the arm supportis generally adjustable relative to the arm rest support in stages.

Moreover, office chairs are known, which are intended to prompt a userto move while sitting, in order to prevent tension, in particular in theback and neck area. It has been shown, however, that this possibility tomove is insufficient for completely preventing back pain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to create yet anotherpossibility for improving the ergonomics of a piece of seatingfurniture.

This problem is solved according to the invention by an arm rest for apiece of seating furniture, in particular for an office chair,comprising an arm rest support and an arm support which is movablerelative thereto, wherein an elastic return element is provided and thearm support is movable relative to the arm rest support, against therestoring force of the return element.

When a user of a piece of seating furniture comprising an arm restaccording to the invention subsequently places his/her arm on the armsupport, the arm support is moved slightly downward against therestoring force of the return element. This reaction of the arm supportto the placement of an arm of the user thereon results in the user beingprompted to move in the shoulder area, whereby tension can be prevented.In particular, the upper body of a user is stimulated to move. A poolingof blood can be prevented as a result. Different embodiments of thereturn element are conceivable in this case. For example, the returnelement can be designed as an elastomer, in particular elastomericrubber, as a spring element, in particular as a compression spring, aleg spring, or as a torsion bar. Particular advantages result when thereturn element is exchangeable. As a result, the restoring force can beadjusted, for example.

A first stop can be provided on the arm rest, which limits the relativemovement of the arm support with respect to the arm rest support in afirst direction. In particular, an upward movement of the arm supportcan be limited by the first stop, and therefore the arm support assumesa defined position without being loaded by a user.

Moreover, a second stop can be provided, which limits the relativemovement of the arm support and the arm rest support in a seconddirection. In particular, a downward movement of the arm support can belimited by the second stop. As a result, it can be ensured that a usercan support him/herself on the arm support without the arm supportdropping into a void.

In principle, it is conceivable that the arm support is movable onlyupward and downward in the vertical direction against the return force.Advantages result, however, when the arm support is pivotable about ahorizontal axis of rotation relative to the arm rest support. Inparticular, the arm support and the arm rest support are pivotallyconnected to each other. In this case, the swinging motion can besuperimposed on a linear motion. For example, the horizontal axis ofrotation can be displaceable relative to the arm rest support.Advantages result, however, when the arm support is connected to the armrest support so as to be pivotable about a fixed horizontal axis ofrotation. A defined arrangement of the arm support relative to the armrest support is obtained as a result.

The longitudinal axis of the return element can be orientedtransversely, in particular orthogonal, to the horizontal axis ofrotation. Due to this arrangement, the restoring force generated by thereturn element can be particularly effectively utilized.

The pivot range of the arm support relative to the arm rest support canbe less than 25°, in particular between 10° and 20°, preferably 16°.Particularly favorable ergonomics are obtained as a result.

The arm support and the arm rest support can be connected to each otherat an end region in each case, i.e., one end region of the arm supportcan be connected to one end region of the arm rest support. Inprinciple, it is also conceivable that the arm rest support is situatedon the arm support essentially in the center thereof.

A cuff made of a resilient material can be provided in the transitionarea between the arm rest support and the arm support. In particular,the connecting area and, therefore, also the area in which the returnelement is situated, can be covered by the cuff. Injuries to a user canbe prevented as a result. For example, the cuff can be designed in theshape of an accordion.

The arm support can comprise an arm support fastening part and the armrest support can comprise an arm rest support fastening part, which arepivotally connected to each other and against which the return elementrests. The two fastening parts can be made of plastic. The fasteningparts can also form the first and the second stops.

In order to adapt the arm rest to a user, it is advantageous when thearm rest is height-adjustable, in particular height-adjustable instages. In this case, the operating element for the height adjustment ofthe arm rest can be situated in a front area of the arm rest support.The operating element can be designed as a button which can be movableagainst the restoring force of yet another return element. For example,the arm rest can be adjustable in eight detent stages. In particular,the arm rest support can be designed to be telescopic.

In order to improve the feel of the arm rest, it can be provided thatthe arm support has a top side made of a resilient material, inparticular PU.

A piece of seating furniture comprising an arm rest according to theinvention also falls within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention result from thedetailed descriptions of one exemplary embodiment of the inventionpresented in the following with reference to the figures in the drawing,which shows the details that are essential to the invention. Furtherfeatures and advantages of the invention also result from the claims.The features described therein are not intended to be interpretedliterally, and are presented in such a manner that the special featuresof the present invention may be presented clearly. The various featurescan be implemented individually, or these can be combined in anypossible manner in different variants of the invention.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in theschematic drawing and is described in greater detail in the followingdescription.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of an arm rest according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the arm rest according to the invention,without a cuff; and

FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation through the arm rest accordingto the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an arm rest 1 comprising an arm rest support 2 and an armsupport 3. A horizontal section 4 of the arm rest 1 is utilized forfastening the arm rest 1 to a piece of seating furniture (not shown), inparticular an office chair. The horizontal section 4 can be formed fromaluminum or plastic, for example. The horizontal section 4 transitionsinto a vertical section 5 which can be designed to be telescopic. Inparticular, the arm rest 1 comprises a guide sleeve 6, into which avertical support part has been inserted. The guide sleeve 6 isdisplaceable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the verticalsupport part, and therefore a height-adjustable arm rest 1 results.

An operating element 7 designed as a button is provided for the heightadjustment. The arm support 3 is movable with respect to the arm restsupport 2 against a restoring force. It is apparent that the arm support3 and the arm rest support 2 are connected to each other in an endregion in each case. A cuff 8 is provided in the connecting area.

The arm rest 1 is shown in a side view in FIG. 2. The cuff 8 has beenremoved, and therefore an arm support fastening part 10 and an arm restsupport fastening part 11 are apparent. The arm support fastening part10 and the arm rest support fastening part 11 are pivotally connected toeach other via a bolt 12. The center axis of the bolt 12 represents ahorizontal axis of rotation 13 in this case, about which the arm support3 is pivotable relative to the arm rest support 2. These parts arecovered by the cuff 8 during operation, and therefore an operator cannotbecome injured, in particular pinched. Given that the cuff 8 is made ofa resilient material, in particular in the shape of an accordion, itsshape follows the movement of the arm support 3 relative to the arm restsupport 2. In order to improve the comfort of the arm rest 1, the topside 14 of the arm support 3 is made of a resilient material, inparticular PU.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation of the arm rest 1. It isapparent here that a return element 15, which is designed as acompression spring in this case, is connected at one end to the armsupport 3, in particular an arm support body 16 which is connected tothe arm support fastening part 10 and, at the other end, to the arm restsupport fastening part 11. The top side 14 is supported by the armsupport body 16. The arm support body 16 is connected to the arm supportfastening part 10 via suitable fastening means, for example screws.

A swinging motion of the arm support 3 about the horizontal axis ofrotation 13 is limited by a first stop 17.

When the arm support 3 is loaded in the area of its free end, the armsupport is pivoted in the arrow direction 18, thereby compressing thereturn element 15, and therefore against the restoring force of thereturn element 15. This movement is limited by a second stop 19. In theexemplary embodiment shown, the pivot range is approximately 16°.

It is also apparent in the representation in FIG. 3 that the arm restsupport fastening part 11 and the guide sleeve 6 are designed as asingle piece. A vertical support part 20 is situated in the guide sleeve6. The guide sleeve 6 and the vertical support part 20 are displaceablerelative to each other. A detent system 21 is provided for this purpose,into which a detent projection 22 situated on the lower end of theoperating element 7 can engage. The operating element 7 can be pivotedagainst the restoring force of yet another return element 23 in order tobring the detent projection 22 into engagement in different positions ofthe detent system 21 and thereby effectuate a height adjustment of thearm rest 1.

What is claimed is:
 1. An arm rest for a piece of seating furniture, inparticular for an office chair, comprising: an arm rest support, an armsupport connected to the arm rest support and which is movable relativethereto, and an elastic return element connected to the arm rest supportand to the arm support, wherein the arm support is movable relative tothe arm rest support against a restoring force of the return element. 2.The arm rest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the return element isdesigned as an elastomer, as a spring element, as a leg spring, or as atorsion bar.
 3. The arm rest as claimed in claim 1, further comprising afirst stop configured for limiting the movement of the arm supportrelative to the arm rest support in a first direction.
 4. The arm restas claimed in claim 3, further comprising a second stop that isconfigured for limiting the movement of the arm support relative to thearm rest support in a second direction.
 5. The arm rest as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the arm support is pivotable about a horizontal axis ofrotation relative to the arm rest support.
 6. The arm rest as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the arm support is connected to the arm rest support soas to be pivotable about a fixed horizontal axis of rotation.
 7. The armrest as claimed in claim 5, wherein a longitudinal axis of the returnelement is oriented transversely to the horizontal axis of rotation. 8.The arm rest as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pivot range of the armsupport relative to the arm rest support is less than 25°.
 9. The armrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm support and the arm restsupport are connected to each other in respective end areas of the armsupport and of the arm rest support.
 10. The arm rest as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a cuff made of a resilient material in atransition area between the arm rest support and the arm support. 11.The arm rest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm support comprises anarm support fastening part and the arm rest support comprises an armrest support fastening part, wherein the arm support fasting part andthe arm rest support fastening part are pivotally connected to eachother, and wherein the return element rests against the arm supportfastening part and the arm rest support fastening part.
 12. The arm restas claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm rest is height-adjustable. 13.The arm rest as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an operatingelement configured for the height adjustment of the arm rest, saidoperating element being situated in a front area of the arm restsupport.
 14. The arm rest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm supporthas a top side made of a resilient material.
 15. A piece of seatingfurniture comprising an arm rest according to claim
 1. 16. The arm restaccording to claim 14, wherein the resilient material is PU.
 17. The armrest as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pivot range of the arm supportrelative to the arm rest support is between 10° and 20°.
 18. The armrest as claimed in claim 2, wherein the return element is designed as acompression spring.
 19. The arm rest according to claim 2, wherein thereturn element is formed of elastomeric rubber.
 20. The arm restaccording to claim 7, wherein the longitudinal axis of the returnelement is oriented orthogonal to the horizontal axis of rotation.